BALDWIN PARK – The Valley County Water District has threatened Director Dolores Holguin with a lawsuit for her failure to repay money she allegedly owes but has taken no legal action against other directors who allegedly did the same thing.

The district filed a lawsuit last week alleging Holguin pocketed about $4,750 in district payments that were supposed to be used for medical insurance.

But Holguin, who is running for a seat on the Upper San Gabriel Municipal Water District in November, was not the only one district official who owed the money.

Director Armando Macias, acting board President Joseph Armendariz and former Director Guadalupe Alvidrez each owed the district roughly the same amount as Holguin, officials said.

District officials have given conflicting information as to when these other directors paid their outstanding debts, leaving Holguin wondering why she is the only one being sued.

“They have an ax to grind with one director and it’s me,” Holguin said.

On Wednesday, Guy Mato, the district’s interim general manager, said he announced at a previous water board meeting that Macias and Armendariz had made arrangements to pay off their debt and so were not being sued.

On Thursday, Mato changed his statement and said Macias and Armendariz made full restitution within hours of being notified about their debt.

Macias and Armendariz did not return phone calls this week seeking comment.

Holguin, 57, said the lawsuit is being pushed by Lemieux and Steven O’Neill, the district’s legal counsel.

“And it’s only because I voted against them coming back as legal counsel in December,” she added.

Holguin said she has since told the district she plans to pay the money back and was waiting to get an opinion from an attorney.

The lawsuit against Holguin also accuses her of having the district reimburse her $2,900 in attorney fees she spent on suing a former district board member and of voting to erase a comaker loan she owed the district.